244 NICEOLLS'S SEAMANSHIP AXD NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE

SYSTEM OF BUOYAGE (1947)
Adopted by the leading Pilotage Authorities
The mariner when approaching the coast must determine his position
on the chart and note the direction of the MAIN STREAM OF FLOOD
TIDE.
The teim Starboard Hand bhall denote that Fide which would be on
the RIGHT HAND of the manner either going with the main stream of
flood or entering a harbour, nvei, or estuary from seaward, the term
Port Hand shall denote the LEFT HAND of the manner under the same
circumstances
Buoys are named Conical Can or Spherical according to their shape
above water. Conical buoys are kept on the starboard hand, Can buuvs
on the port hand when going in the direction of the flood stream.
Spherical buoys mark the ends of MIDDLE GROUNDS. See Fig. 4
Buoys having a TALL CENTRAL STRUCTURE on a broad base aie
called Pillar buoys and, like other special buoys such as Bell buovs,
Gas buoys, Automatic signalling buoys, etc., shall be placed to mark
special positions either on the coast or in approaches to harbours.
Wreck buoys in the open sea, or in the approaches to a harbour or
estuary, shall be coloured GREEN, with the word "Wreck" painted m
WHITE letters on them. Submarine telegraph cable buoys are painted
BLACK with the word * 'Telegraph'' in WHITE letters on them.
Starboard Hand Marks.—Conical buoys. Black (B) or Black and
White Chequers (B.W. Cheq.). Topmarks (if any)—Black Cone (point
upwards) or, for purposes of differentiation except at entrance to a
channel, a Black Diamond. Light (if any)—White showing 1 or 3
or 5 flashes
Port Hand Marks.—Can buoys. Bed (E) or Red and White Chequers
(R.W. Cheq.) Topmarks (if any)—Red Can or, for purposes of
differentiation, a Red "T" except at entrance to a channel. Light
(if any)—White showing 2 or 4 or 6 flashes, or Red flashes up to 4.
Middle Ground Marks.—Spherical buoys Red and White Horizontal
Bands (R.W.H,B ) where mam channel is to the BIGHT or the channels